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gulf sandmat

Missouri spurge, prairie sandmat, prairie spurge

Habit Herbs, annual or perennial, with taproot. Herbs, annual, with taproot.
Stems

prostrate, mat-forming, 15–30 cm, strigose to strigose-tomentulose.

erect or ascending, 10–60(–100) cm, glabrous, sometimes ± glaucous.

Leaves

opposite;

stipules distinct or slightly connate at base, linear-subulate, entire or slightly parted, 0.9–1.2 mm, strigose-tomentulose;

petiole 0.5–1 mm, sparsely strigose-tomentulose;

blade broadly elliptic to narrowly oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 3–10 × 1.8–5 mm, base asymmetric, one side usually angled or rounded and the other truncate and expanded into small, rounded auricle, margins serrate (larger leaves) to serrulate (smaller leaves), apex blunt to acute, abaxial surface sparsely tomentulose to glabrate, adaxial surface glabrate; palmately veined at base, pinnate distally.

opposite;

stipules usually distinct, occasionally connate basally on one or both sides of stem, linear to triangular-subulate, usually deeply and irregularly fringed or lobed, rarely entire, 0.7–1.5 mm, glabrous;

petiole 1–3 mm, glabrous;

blade linear to narrowly oblong or narrowly lanceolate-oblong, (4–)8–30 × 3–7 mm, base symmetric or subsymmetric (usually narrower leaves), or slightly asymmetric and angled or short-tapered (wider leaves), margins entire, occasionally ± revolute, apex rounded to truncate, occasionally emarginate or mucronulate, abaxial surface pale green, adaxial surface light to bright green, both surfaces glabrous;

venation obscure.

Involucre

broadly obconic, becoming distended and distorted by base of partially included capsule, 0.4–0.8 × 0.3–0.5 mm, strigose;

glands 4, red, slightly concave, ± unequal, subcircular to broadly oval, 0.1–0.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm;

appendages white to pink, usually unequal, occasionally ± equal at distal nodes, elongated toward sinus, sometimes rudimentary, 0.1–0.4 × 0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin entire or crenulate.

broadly campanulate, 1.2–1.8 × 1.7–1.9 mm, glabrous;

glands 4, yellowish green, broadly oblong to nearly circular, cupped or folded, 0.3–0.6 × 0.3–0.7 mm;

appendages white or ± pinkish tinged, ovate to oblong-ovate, 0.4–2.5 × 1.1–1.7 mm, distal margin entire or slightly crenate or emarginate at tip.

Staminate flowers

3–5.

24–60.

Pistillate flowers

ovary densely strigose;

styles 0.4–0.5 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

ovary glabrous;

styles 0.5–1.4 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

Capsules

conic to truncate-ovoid, scarcely exserted from involucre, base often remaining inside involucre and splitting one side of it during maturation, 0.9–1.2 × 1–1.2 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;

columella 0.6–1 mm.

broadly ovoid-globose, 1.9–2.5 × 2–2.5(–3) mm, glabrous;

columella 1.8–2.1 mm.

Seeds

white, tan underneath coat, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, sharply 4-angled in cross section, 0.8–0.9 × 0.4–0.6 mm, with 4 low transverse ridges often slightly extending into angles, not sulcate.

mottled whitish to brown, ovoid to broadly ovoid-triangular, bluntly 3-angled in cross section, 1.5–2 × 1.1–1.4 mm, smooth or slightly wrinkled.

Cyathia

usually in small, cymose clusters on congested, axillary branches;

peduncle (0–)0.1–0.3 mm.

solitary or in small, cymose clusters these occasionally subtended by reduced, bractlike leaves at distal nodes or on congested, axillary branches;

peduncle 1–5(–11) mm.

Euphorbia thymifolia

Euphorbia missurica

Phenology Flowering and fruiting midsummer–early fall. Flowering and fruiting late spring–late summer.
Habitat Disturbed areas, often near salt water. Glades, ledges, bluff tops (usually calcareous), dry upland forest margins, sandy or disturbed areas.
Elevation 0–20 m. (0–100 ft.) 50–1500 m. (200–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; LA; Mexico; South America; West Indies [Introduced in Asia, tropical Africa, Australia]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; CO; IA; KS; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Euphorbia thymifolia is a widespread tropical and subtropical weed. It is not certain where the species is native, but most likely it originated in the New World and then became widespread in the rest of the tropics. Euphorbia thymifolia is present in the flora area in southern Florida and coastal Louisiana, where it is likely adventive. Euphorbia thymifolia is generally similar to E. maculata but is characterized by its short pistillate pedicels and non-exserted capsules that remain largely enclosed by the involucre and by its unequal involucral gland appendages.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Euphorbia missurica is similar to the western E. parryi but has a more upright growth habit and more conspicuous involucral gland appendages. Native occurrences have been documented from Minnesota (last collected in Ottertail County in 1936), but it appears to have been extirpated from that state due to habitat loss to agriculture.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 291. FNA vol. 12, p. 278.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum
Sibling taxa
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
Synonyms Chamaesyce thymifolia Chamaesyce missurica, E. missurica var. intermedia, E. petaloidea var. intermedia
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 454. (1753) Rafinesque: Atlantic J. 1: 146. (1832)
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